Town police chief hopeful gun violence grant trickles down

Suffolk County is one of 17 counties across New York that will be able to compete for $13 million in state grants to reduce gun violence, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Tuesday.

The new Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative will focus on targeting reductions in shootings and homicides by encouraging jurisdictions to share information and engage community members, the governor’s office said in a statement.

Each county must submit a plan to the state that will target known gun offenders and hot spots for gun violence, coordinate efforts between law enforcement and community groups and bring community members into the discussion, according to the statement.

The new initiative follows a previous drive to reduce violent crime called Operation IMPACT.

“New York State is home to the safest large city in the country and is the third safest state overall, and that is because we are tough, smart, and fair when it comes to fighting crime in our communities,” Mr. Cuomo said. “This funding will give law enforcement agencies resources to reduce gun violence in their neighborhoods. I encourage local agencies to apply for this funding and work toward making New York’s streets safer.”

While the Suffolk County police, District Attorney’s Office, and Sheriff’s Department are eligible to receive funds, the East End Town Departments — including Riverhead and Southold police — cannot apply.

Police Chief David Hegermiller said that he is hopeful the county police will share some of the GIVE money, as they did when the county department won fund through Operation IMPACT.